Devin Archer and Natalie Storrs to Meet in the Middle in THE LAST FIVE YEARS at La Mirada Theatre

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts & McCoy Rigby Entertainment present the third show of its 2016-2017 season, Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS, starring Devin Archer and Natalie Storrs, with musical direction by Brent Crayon and directed by Ovation Award-winner Nick DeGruccio.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS will preview on Friday, January 20, 2017 (with a press opening on Saturday, January 21) and run through Sunday, February 12, 2017 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

THE LAS FIVE YEARS is for anyone who's been in love - or wants to be. A beautifully intimate, vivid picture of the five-year relationship between a young, ambitious author and a struggling actress. Cleverly, the show unfolds in reverse chronological order: we see her experiences from the painful ending of the relationship, while we see his from the passionate beginning. This endearingly funny, poignant, and insightfully honest two-person musical has enraptured audiences around the world with its spellbinding, emotional score.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST:

Nick DeGruccio (Director) recently directed the Southern California Premiere of First Date (LA Mirada Theatre), Sondheim's Company (Cabrillo Music Theatre) and the LA Regional Premiere of Next To Normal for La Mirada Theatre (8 2013 Ovation Nominations including Direction) and for San Diego Music Theatre (San Diego Critics Circle Nomination for Direction), Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory for The Laguna Playhouse, The Andrews Brothers (Coyote StageWorks, Best Director - Desert League Awards) and the world premiere of The End Of It at the Matrix Theatre. His productions include: The Laramie Project (Laguna Playhouse and Colony Theatre: LA premiere, Ovation Awards for Best Play, Best Direction, Best Ensemble), Side Show (LA Premiere, 8 Ovation Nominations including direction and was voted One of the Top 10 Plays by The Los Angeles Times), Jekyll & Hyde (Cabrillo Music Theatre: Ovation Award for Direction, 9 Ovation Nominations) and 1776 (Musical Theatre West/Performance Riverside/Cabrillo: 5 LA Ovation Awards including Direction and Best Musical), the World Premiere of Caught (Zephyr Theatre), Putting It Together, A Year With Frog and Toad (South Coast Repertory), The Last Five Years (LA Premiere, Pasadena Playhouse), Cinderella (The Ordway), My Way (La Mirada), Man of La Mancha, RENT, West Coast Premiere of The Andrews Brothers (Musical Theatre West), Guys and Dolls (Cabrillo Music Theatre). As the Artistic Director of Havok Theatre Company, he directed the LA Premieres of Dog Sees God, Kiss of the Spider Woman (LA Ovation Award for Production), Thrill Me and The Story Of My Life. LA Premieres: The Spitfire Grill (Laguna Playhouse: OC Weekly Award Best Musical), Zanna, Don't! (West Coast Ensemble: LADCC Award for Direction), Bad Apples (Rubicon Theatre: World Premiere Play), A Man Of No Importance and Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party (Musical Theatre Guild), Basic Training (2nd Stage: NAACP Nomination for Direction). Ovation nominated productions: Side By Side By Sondheim (The Rubicon Theatre and Pasadena Playhouse), Guys and Dolls and La Cage Aux Folles (Musical Theatre West), I Do! I Do!, (Pasadena Playhouse), Beehive (El Portal Theatre) and City of Angels (Ovation Award for Production). Nick is the recipient of the LADCC Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre and is an alumnus of the Lincoln Center Theatre Director's Lab West.

Brent Crayon (Musical Director) has had the privilege to work with such notable artists as Stephen Schwartz, Daisy Prince, John Caird, Paul Gordon, Scott Schwartz, John Bucchino, and Richard Maltby, Jr.. Favorite theatrical productions include the West Coast premieres of Songs For a New World and Tick, Tick...BOOM!, and the world premiere productions of Stephen Schwartz's Snapshots, John Bucchino's It's Only Life, and Bubble Boy, The Musical (Music Director/Orchestrator). Brent recently conducted LES MISERABLES in Anchorage, Alaska. An accomplished and multi-faceted musician, Brent has been a featured soloist in ensembles throughout Southern California, including Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra, the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, and the Ventura Chamber Orchestra.

Jason Robert Brown (Music/Lyrics) is the ultimate multi-hyphenate - an equally skilled composer, lyricist, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, director and performer - best known for his dazzling scores to several of the most renowned musicals of his generation, including the recently revived The Last Five Years, his debut song cycle Songs for a New World, and the seminal Parade, for which he won the 1999 Tony Award for Best Score. He was awarded two Tony Awards for writing and orchestrating The Bridges of Madison County, a musical adapted with Marsha Norman from the bestselling novel, which opened in 2014 on Broadway, directed by Bartlett Sher and starring Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale. Honeymoon In Vegas, based on Andrew Bergman's film, opened on Broadway in 2015 to rave reviews, including a New York Times review for Jason which compared favorably to Rodgers and Hammerstein. A film version of his epochal Off-Broadway musical The Last Five Years was released in 2014, starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan and directed by Richard LaGravenese. His major musicals as composer and lyricist include: 13, written with Robert Horn and Dan Elish, which began its life in Los Angeles in 2007 and opened on Broadway in 2008 (and was subsequently directed by the composer for its West End premiere in 2012); The Last Five Years, which was cited as one of Time Magazine's 10 Best of 2001 and won Drama Desk Awards for Best Music and Best Lyrics (and was subsequently directed by the composer in its Off-Broadway run at Second Stage Theatre in 2013); Parade, written with Alfred Uhry and directed by Harold Prince, which premiered at Lincoln Center Theatre in 1998, and subsequently won both the Drama Desk and New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards for Best New Musical, as well as garnering Jason the Tony Award for Original Score; and Songs for a New World, a theatrical song cycle directed by Daisy Prince, which played Off-Broadway in 1995, and has since been seen in hundreds of productions around the world. Parade was also the subject of a major revival directed by Rob Ashford, first at London's Donmar Warehouse and then at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. His orchestral adaptation of E.B. White's novel The Trumpet of the Swan premiered at the Kennedy Center with John Lithgow and the National Symphony Orchestra, and the CD was released on PS Classics. His first solo album, Wearing Someone Else's Clothes, was named one of Amazon.com's best of 2005, and is available from Sh-K-Boom Records. His collaboration with singer Lauren Kennedy, Songs of Jason Robert Brown, is available on PS Classics. Jason's piano sonata, Mr. Broadway was commissioned and premiered by Anthony De Mare at Carnegie Hall. Jason is also the composer of the incidental music for David Lindsay-Abaire's "Kimberly Akimbo" and "Fuddy Meers," Marsha Norman's "Last Dance," David Marshall Grant's "Current Events," Kenneth Lonergan's "The Waverly Gallery," and the Irish Repertory Theater's production of "Long Day's Journey Into Night," and he was a Tony Award nominee for his contributions to the score of Urban Cowboy the Musical. Upcoming Broadway projects include the musical supervision and arrangements for The Prince Of Broadway later this year. Jason studied composition at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., with Samuel Adler, Christopher Rouse, and Joseph Schwantner. He lives with his wife, composer Georgia Stitt, and their daughters in New York City. Jason is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild and the American Federation of Musicians Local 802 & 47. www.jasonrobertbrown.com.

Devin Archer (Jamie) was last seen as Roger in RENT. Other SoCal credits include Tarzan in Tarzan (3D Theatricals) and Marius in Les Miserables (Musical Theatre West). He has been seen in the North American touring and Las Vegas productions of Mamma Mia! as well as Ace in ACE: A New American Musical (Nevada Conservatory Theatre). Other regional credits include Sondheim's Follies (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof (Marriott Theatre Chicago), Departure Lounge (Bailiwick Chicago), Twelfth Night (NDSF) and The Deceived (NDSF). He is a proud graduate of Northwestern University.

Natalie Storrs (Cathy) A Southern California native, Natalie currently lives in NYC where she performs, produces, and directs! NYC/Tour: Sister Act (First National Tour); "Hope Cladwell", Urinetown (90x Arts). Favorite Regional credits include: "Judy Bernly", 9 to 5 (Flat Rock Playhouse) "Casey", First Date (Mason Street Warehouse, Wilde Award Nomination); "Rosemary", How To Succeed...(Welk Theatre San Diego, Craig Noel Award Nomination); "Betty Jean", The Marvelous Wonderettes (Utah Shakespeare Festival & Moonlight Stage Productions); "Lucy", You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown & "Vivienne", Legally Blonde (Cabrillo Music Theatre); "Joan", DAMES AT SEA (North Coast Rep); "Georgie", The Full Monty & "Penny", Hairspray (Sierra Repertory Theatre). Television: "Driven to Love," "The Hollywood News Report."

The Design Team for THE LAST FIVE YEARS is as follows: Scenic Design by Stephen Gifford; Lighting Design by Steven Young; Video Design by Keith Skretch; Sound Design by Josh Bessom; Costume Design by Thomas G. Marquez; Properties Design by Terry Hanrahan; Casting is by Julia Flores, and the Production Stage Manager is Jill Gold.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS will preview on Friday, January 20, 2017 (with a press opening on Saturday, January 21) and run through Sunday, February 12, 2017 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada. Performances are 7:30pm on Wednesdays & Thursdays; 8pm on Fridays; 2pm and 8pm on Saturdays; and 2pm on Sundays. There will be no performances on Saturday, January 21 at 2pm.

There will be ASL interpreted performances on Saturday, January 28 & Saturday, February 11 at 2pm and an Open Captioned performance on Saturday, February 4 at 2pm. Talkbacks with the cast and creative team will be on Wednesday, January 25 and Wednesday, February 8.

Tickets range from $20 - $70 and can be purchased at La Mirada Theatre's website, www.lamiradatheatre.com or by calling the La Mirada Theatre Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310. Student, Senior and group discounts are available. $15 Student Tickets available for the first 15 performances of the production. Recommended for ages 13 and older.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue where the 91 and 5 freeways meet. Parking is free.

Winner of the L.A. Stage Alliance OVATION AWARD for 2012-2013 "Best Season of the Year," LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, now in its fourth decade, has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "one of the best Broadway-style houses in Southern California." This beautiful state-of-the-Art Theatre has been producing quality productions for its Southern California audiences since 1977. The theatre has produced several national tours and is the recipient of many accolades including Ovation and Emmy Awards and Tony Award nominations. The theatre is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, California, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue. Parking is theatre-adjacent and free. For further information call 562-944-9801 or visit www.lamiradatheatre.com.

Celebrating its 23rd Anniversary season at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, McCoy Rigby Entertainment (MRE), is one of the world's premier theatrical production companies. Headed by Executive Producers Tom McCoy and Cathy Rigby, MRE has produced over one hundred musicals, plays, and concerts featuring some of the biggest stars in the industry today.

In addition, MRE has launched several Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated Broadway, international, and national touring productions including: Peter Pan, Seussical the Musical, and Annie Get Your Gun, all starring Cathy Rigby; Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll and Hyde starring American Idol contender and Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis along with Grammy Award nominee and R&B superstar Deborah Cox; Jesus Christ Superstar starring Carl Anderson and Sebastian Bach; Camelot starring Michael York and Lou Diamond Phillips and Happy Days written by Gary Marshall and Paul Williams. Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby has made four stops on Broadway and received four Tony Award nominations including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical. The A&E TV network premiere of "Peter Pan," starring Cathy Rigby, received one Emmy Award and four Emmy Award nominations. MRE's other credits include numerous award-winning documentaries and stadium events.

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